Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) at Houston Texans (10-6) Spread: Texans by 4
This is pretty much the most unpredictable playoff game ever, since both teams are pretty atrocious. The Bengals blew a 9 point lead with 5 minutes to go against the Texans a month ago, in Cincinnati. The Texans scored a TD as time expired to win by 1 and gave us pretty much no idea of which team is better. The Texans have not won a game since then, and have lost to the Colts. Both teams are starting rookie QBs, but Dalton has considerably more experience since he's been starting since Week 1. The difference pretty much comes down to the Texans having Andre Johnson (hobbled or not) and the Bengals not really having anybody I feel comfortable betting on. AJ Green is good but he's still a rookie. Then again, it's hard to beat the same team twice, and I'm not sure I want to live in a world where the Texans have won a playoff game. Then again again, the Bengals are cursed in the playoffs. I have no idea why I wrote so much when I will probably end up sleeping through this game and have no idea what I'm talking about. COIN FLIP!
Texans win 23-17
Detroit Lions (10-6) at New Orleans Saints (13-3) Spread: Saints by 11
This one seems pretty cut and dry. I can't see the Saints losing at home, where they have already beaten Detroit pretty handily this season. Detroit is simply too undisciplined to make a run this season.
Saints win 42-24
Atlanta Falcons (10-6) at New York Giants (9-7) Spread: Giants by 3
That spread means this game is pretty much a Pick Em, but I don't think that's the case because I think the Giants are a better team and the Falcons are frauds who can't win on the road. They lost to ****ing Tampa Bay on the road. Both teams have crappy pass defenses that will probably get eaten up, but the Giants balanced pass rush gives them the edge over the Falcons, who only have John Abraham.
Giants win 27-21
Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) at Denver Broncos (8-8) Spread: Steelers by 8
A few scores from Steelers games this season. 13-9 and 14-3 over the Browns. 13-9 over the Chiefs. 17-13 over the Jaguars. 23-20 over the Colts. The Steelers play down to the their competition. They let crappy teams stay close (except for the atrocious Rams). Fortunately for them, when it comes time for those teams to put together a game winning drive, they trot out Colt McCoy, Tyler Palko, Curtis Painter and Blaine Gabbert, who is literally afraid to be tackled. Enter TEBOW TIME. Tebow, as much as I hate him, has taken a page out of The Sanchize's book and put together some amazing 4th quarter drives this year, and this seems like the perfect setting for him to pull out another one. The Broncos D is literally better than an All-Star team (using that term loosely) of the previous 4 teams would be and they get to face a Steelers team led by a hobbled Big Ben that's starting Mewelde Moore at RB. Or Isaac Redman. Either way it's not good. The game will be low scoring and close, and Pissburgh will get Tebow'd and I will have a hearty laugh.
as much as I hate Tebow, I would really, really enjoy a Broncos upset
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ya right you are case the sunglasses have 3d so i can see right threw their clothes -ertyu (about wearing sunglasses to stare at boobs without girls noticing)
From: SmartMuffin | #003 "COIN FLIP" is NOT a prediction :(
There is no way to predict that game. If I was betting my life on the game, I would pick the Texans and feel horrible about it. I didn't really flip a coin though.
Houston Texans (10-6) vs. Baltimore Ravens (12-4) Estimated Spread: Ravens by 9
Can you imagine TJ Yates going into Baltimore and winning a playoff game? Me neither. Not that Joe Flacco inspires much confidence either. Both teams have great running backs and defenses, so I could almost talk myself into this being an evenly matched game if not for one team being the Texans and having a rookie QB. Like New Orleans, I don't trust Baltimore on the road, but I think they can handle this one in friendly confines.
Ravens win 21-10
New Orleans Saints (13-3) vs. San Francisco 49ers (13-3) Estimated Spread: 49ers by 1
What a nightmare matchup for the Saints. If only they hadn't lost to the Rams! Now they have to travel to San Francisco to play on crappy, muddy, grass against a team that can pound out slow methodical drives and keep Brees off the field. I feel like a lunatic picking Alex Smith over Drew Brees in a playoff game, but he pretty much won't have to do anything except not turn the ball over (a role he has surprisingly excelled in). I see Brees throwing a couple picks in this game and the 49ers controlling field position and the clock by limiting mistakes and pounding the run.
49ers win 27-24
Denver Broncos (8-8) at New England Patriots (13-3) Estimated Spread: Patriots by 12
It's just the Patriots luck that with a hole as glaring as their atrocious pass defense just waiting to be exploited, they draw Tim Tebow in the Divisional Round and Joe Flacco in the AFC Championship. Barring some type of major injury to Brady, I see no reason why this game should be any different than the beating the Pats put on the Broncos in Denver. Belichick is classless so he will run up the score a bit so everybody stops thinking about his chokejobs the past two seasons.
Patriots win 45-13
New York Giants (9-7) at Green Bay Packers (15-1) Estimated Spread: Packers by 8
Too many similarities to Super Bowl XLII to ignore for me. The Giants lost a close game to a team vying for perfection by the score of 38-35 this year and in 2007. Both teams had a QB in the midst of a record setting season, et cetera. The Giants learned a lot in their loss and will come back with a new and improved gameplan. Rodgers will be a little rusty after not playing for three weeks. The Packers are a better team, but the Giants can throw the ball and rush the passer, which are the two qualities you look for in a championship caliber team. Those two qualities will keep you in a game against any opponent. The Packers defense, on the other hand, sucks. The Giants will hang around, they'll knock Rodgers down a lot through a combination of a great pass rush and a crappy offensive line, and Victor Cruz will catch a long TD pass.
New York Giants (9-7) at San Francisco 49ers (13-4) Estimated Spread: 49ers by 5
No team has been able to knock the 49ers off their game. They have only turned the ball over 10 times and have forced 38. No team forced more than one turnover against the 49ers all season. The Giants could be the team to do that. In their first meeting, they accounted for one of Alex Smith's five INTs this season. That game also saw the 3rd quarter end with the score 12-6 San Francisco, with the two teams combining to muster just 6 field goals between them. There was a bit of a flurry after that, and San Fran ended up winning 27-20. The Giants failed to get to Smith very much in that game, managing just 2 sacks and only hitting Smith 4 times. They stopped the 49ers running game, but that was without Frank Gore, who left after with a knee injury after rushing 6 times for 0 yards. Eli ended up throwing 2 costly interceptions to lose a game the Giants definitely could have won. I see this one being a knockdown, drag out brawl with a bunch of short, punishing runs from Brandon Jacobs and Frank Gore. I see Eli having a better game than he had last game. I see Alex Smith finally realizing he's Alex Smith. I see Eli hitting Nicks in the back of the end zone.
*Upset Special* Giants win 20-16
Baltimore Ravens (12-4) at New England Patriots (13-3) Estimated Spread: Patriots by 4
The Giants prevailing the previous night will spare us one day of hearing about The Harbaugh Bowl. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, because the Ravens won't win this game. They can't win on the road, and even if they could, Joe Flacco can't take advantage of this Patriots D. The Ravens D is good, but no team can contain the Pats for 60 entire minutes. The Ravens will come close, but ultimately Flacco will turn the ball over deep in Ravens territory and screw his team.
I would be so disappointed if the Pack lost to the Giants, not just because I want them to win it all again, but because Packers/49ers is the game I most want to see in the playoffs.
The Lions were in that game with the Saints until the lack of discipline kicked in. They still would have lost most likely, but it would have been close. They've been a lot more disciplined since the game, and I think it'll be a really close game. I still think they lose, but that spread is ridiculous. Lions defense will finally be healthy this week too, so that will help too (we had a lot of guys out vs. the Saints last time).
Also, I agree with Broncos over Steelers. Steelers are not the Steelers this week.
You are nuts on the Giants though, their secondary is just too awful this year.. It will get torn to shreds. Also, with their running efficiency being garbage this year, they aren't going to be able to control the game like they did against the Pats.
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omg did u red text from last night dats so me LMAO : ) im not a slut i jus liek 2 haev fun LOL : )
From: yoshifan823 | #011 I would be so disappointed if the Pack lost to the Giants, not just because I want them to win it all again, but because Packers/49ers is the game I most want to see in the playoffs.
I'm a Packers fan and my best friend is a 49ers fan. I agree completely with your post.
-- Will not change sig unless the Sens win the Stanley Cup. Started 2/19/07 SuperNiceDog is so good he's now in my signature
I got all my Detroit from watching Detroit games and watching them act like thugs, starting with their coach.
And this was posted before Sports Guy's column went up suck it haters. And he has never made that joke to my knowledge. It's not even a joke, it's a factual statement.
Y'all just mad that the Lions are gonna lose by 3 TDs tonight.
-- Also even I have to give the Rangers credit right now. They're better than we are. - ExThaNemesis
Obviously after the Broncos scored a TD, they wouldn't kick an extra point to go up 2, obviously they would have to go for 2. But since 17-14 is too normal a score for this game, I say they don't get it.
definitely disappointing, it was a lot closer than the score said obviously. the secondary the last 2 weeks... just what. They had actually been pretty good most of the year, then the last 2 weeks just "what". That 2nd drive in the 2nd half was obviously really frustrating, with the saints getting some of the most favorable spots I've ever seen, but eitherway, damn. Oh well. Good year, just disappointing that a secondary that hadn't necessarily been a big weakness just falls apart in the 2 weeks when we needed them most.
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omg did u red text from last night dats so me LMAO : ) im not a slut i jus liek 2 haev fun LOL : )